Are you going abroad?
When traveling abroad, there are several important things to consider. To be able to make and receive calls with your mobile or use your mobile broadband abroad, your Swedish operator must have an agreement with at least one operator in the country you are in (so-called international roaming agreements). Roaming is thus the use of your Swedish subscription abroad. For calls from Sweden to foreign phone numbers (international calls), the operators’ respective price lists to other countries apply.
Page summary
When using your mobile abroad, it is important to consider roaming and costs for calls and data traffic. Roaming means using your Swedish subscription internationally, and it requires that your operator has agreements with operators in the country you are in. Within the EU, regulated roaming prices apply without extra charges for calls, SMS, and surfing, but the operator may limit the amount of data. Outside the EU, however, the costs can be very high, and it is recommended to turn off both data roaming and voicemail.
What is included in EU roaming and what is not?
Specific types of calls, such as premium calls and calls to directory assistance, are not covered by regulated prices and may cost more. Even calls to toll-free numbers in other countries may incur charges if you call from a Swedish subscription.
For calls from Sweden to a Swedish mobile number within the EU, normal Swedish call rates apply, while the recipient does not pay anything. Outside the EU, however, the recipient may be charged for receiving the call and for listening to voicemail messages.
When traveling near borders to countries outside the EU, there is a risk that the mobile phone connects to operators in the other country, which can lead to unexpected costs.
Onboard ships and airplanes, the mobile phone can connect to satellite networks, making it particularly important to check what prices apply. To avoid unforeseen costs, you can activate airplane mode.
Example:
Calls from Sweden to a Swedish mobile number within the EU:
You are in Sweden and call your cousin who is on vacation in Germany on their Swedish number. For you, it is the same price as calling within Sweden, and your cousin who receives the call pays nothing. It also costs nothing if you reach their voicemail. If they want to listen to the message, it is the same cost as they have for calls within Sweden.
Calls from Sweden to a Swedish mobile number outside the EU:
You are in Sweden and call your uncle who is on vacation in Thailand. For you, it is the same price as calling within Sweden, but your uncle pays according to the operator’s price list to receive the call. If the call is forwarded to your uncle’s voicemail, he also has to pay for that and to listen to your message.
Calls from Sweden to a foreign landline or mobile number:
You are in Sweden and call your aunt who lives in Spain. You pay the international rate that applies according to your operator’s price list. These prices are not regulated, and the operator can charge any price. Your aunt pays nothing.
Calls within the EU (outside Sweden):
You call from Denmark with your Swedish subscription to your sister who lives in Portugal on her landline or mobile number. For you, it is the same price as calling within Sweden, and your sister who receives the call pays nothing.
Calls to Sweden from the EU:
You call home to mom from the school trip in France. For you, it is the same price as calling within Sweden, and your mom who receives the call pays nothing.
Calls to Sweden from a country outside the EU:
You call from Thailand with your Swedish subscription home to Sweden. You pay according to the operator’s price list.
Feel free to use our checklist before, during, and after your trip
Operators are not obliged to offer roaming in all mobile subscriptions. If you are unsure whether it is included, contact your operator. Most offer different types of packages that you can purchase to use your mobile abroad.
Also find out the conditions for using your mobile in the country you are traveling to. Check with your operator what applies to satellite connections as the mobile can connect to satellite networks on board ships and airplanes. Using your Swedish subscription outside the EU usually costs significantly more than within the EU.
If you travel outside the EU, it may be worthwhile to buy a prepaid card in the country you are traveling to, but before the trip, you must find out if your mobile phone is locked to your operator. If the mobile phone is operator-locked, you cannot use a foreign prepaid card in it.
Outside the EU, you may have to pay both to receive and listen to messages left on your voicemail. If you want to avoid charges for voicemail, you can temporarily disable the service. Remember to do this before you travel abroad. It is not enough to just turn off your mobile phone when you are abroad because the voicemail will still be activated.
Bring the PIN and PUK codes in case you lose your mobile phone or if it gets stolen. Remember not to store the codes together with the phone. Make sure you know how to contact your operator from abroad.
Before you travel, it might be smart to download movies, series, music, and podcasts via a secure Wi-Fi network at home. That way, you avoid using mobile data abroad and relying on insecure public Wi-Fi networks during the trip.
All use of mobile services abroad is called roaming. Both calls and data traffic go through a foreign mobile operator’s network – roam. Normally, you do not need to activate roaming yourself if it is included in your subscription.
All operators must provide a free blocking function for data roaming, both within and outside the EU. Note that this does not apply when connecting to a satellite, for example on ships or airplanes.
Important! Check if the operator can notify you that you have reached the limit during ongoing surfing/downloading or if it is only possible after a completed surfing session. If the operator cannot notify you or block the service during ongoing surfing/downloading, the cost may be significantly higher than the set blocking amount.
The block also applies outside the EU if this is possible. If you as a consumer are in a country where the operator is not allowed to monitor your usage, you should be notified via SMS without undue delay upon entry that the cost block cannot be offered.
Also remember that messages via apps like iMessage or MMS with pictures and videos require data if you are not connected to Wi-Fi. Therefore, consider using regular SMS or messaging apps that work offline when you are on the go.
Please note that a credit lock may not necessarily activate at the amount you have set if you are abroad, as there may be a delay between the foreign operator and your Swedish operator.
An effective way to avoid roaming charges is to put your phone in airplane mode and turn on Wi-Fi. This prevents automatic connection to mobile networks, reduces battery consumption, and ensures that you only use data via Wi-Fi.
However, be cautious with public Wi-Fi networks. They are often unencrypted and can pose a security risk. Hackers sometimes create fake networks that appear legitimate but are actually traps. These networks may have names similar to well-known networks – for example, “Café Guest” or “Free Airport Wi-Fi”. Therefore, only use networks you trust – and preferably a VPN connection when handling sensitive information.
- On iPhone, the Wi-Fi Assist feature should also be turned off to avoid the phone using mobile data when the Wi-Fi signal is weak.
- On Android devices, there are similar features with names like Smart Network Switch, Adaptive Wi-Fi, or Switch to Mobile Data – these should also be turned off before you travel.
Especially outside the EU, it can be worthwhile to buy a prepaid card. However, this assumes that the mobile phone you are using is not locked to your Swedish operator. If you use a foreign prepaid card, you pay nothing when you receive calls and can limit the cost to the amount the card is loaded with. Note that you will get a different number for your mobile phone if you choose a foreign prepaid card.
You should also be cautious when using mobile services near the borders between an EU country and a non-EU country. This is because data traffic can be routed through the neighboring country’s network if it provides better reception. You may then have to pay as much as if the services were used outside the EU. Therefore, be attentive to which operator and network are being used.
Remember to immediately block the SIM card and report the theft of the mobile phone to the police. This way, you reduce the risk of incurring high costs due to someone else calling or surfing with your stolen mobile.
If you have disconnected voicemail, you need to activate it again when you return to Sweden.